Excavating machine



May 6, 1930. c. c. JOHNSTON v EXCAVATING MACHINE Filed July 6, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 1930. cc. JOHNSTON 1,757,908

EXCAVATING [MACHINE Filed July 6, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet .2

May 6, 1930.

C. C. JOHNSTON EXCAVATING ,MACHINE Filed July 6, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 W w A? AYA swam vio a Patented May 6, 1936 UNITED STAT-IVES,

CARLTON O. JOHNSTON, OF SWEET'WATEB, TEXAS nxcevn'rme nmcnnm I Applicationfiled July 6,

The present invention relates to excavating machines and more particularly to the roadgrader type applicable for grading sereets or roads between curbs, copings or forms wherein a road-bedhaving the usual crown or central ridge is established, and the primary object of the inventionis to provide a sub-grader of this character wherein the earth will be loosened, pulverized and distributed at the proper gradient upon the road-bed to be formed and all excessive earth accumulated during the grading and formlng operation will be elevated and removed to the sides of the road or at any other convenient point where it may be hauled away or used at other points along the highway.

Another equally important object of the invention is the provision of rotary pick bars or shovels and scrapers for sub-grading ma- 2 chines of this character which are all driven by the same power plant that propels the machine over the road to be formed and which shovels and scrapers revolve in an opposite direction to that of the direction of travel of the machine whereby the machine will be prevented from climbing or moving from side to side during its grading operation but to the contrary will be caused to move steadily over the tracks or other forms whereby the v grading of the road may be efliciently and advantageously effected without special individual attention during the grading'operation. I

Other objects of the invention will be in pfart obvious and in part pointed out hereina ter.

In order that the inventionand its mode of operation may be readily understood by those skilled in the art, I have in the accompanying illustrative drawings and in the detailed following description based thereupon,

I set out one possible embodiment of the in- Vention. 4 In these drawings: 7

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the machine embodying the present invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof, 7 Figure 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1 looking in the di- 1927. Serial No. 'zoa'zee.

rection in which the arrows point, certain parts being removed, and

Figure 4 is a transverse section ofthe machine taken on the line .4-4 of Figure 1, in the direction as shown on this figure.

Having more particular reference to the drawings. wherein like characters- 0f reference designate corresponding parts throughout, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the subgrader which comprises a machine capable'of traversing a highway under its own power and including a main frame supported upon suitable traction wheels which latter travel upon curbs or other copings along the roadway to be graded. This frame carries a revolving scarifier which spans the roadway to be graded and fully scarifies the soil of the roadway. Following the scarifier and also carrier by this main frame is a ro-' tary planer which scrapes or planes off the loose earth dug up by the scarifier. and causes all excessive earth so dug up by the scarifier to be elevated to a conveyor which is arranged also upon the main frame so that this excessive dirt may be distributed to the opposite sides of the roadway. Following the rotary scraper and'also suspended from the main frame is an adjustable strike ofi template which alsospans the entire width of the roadway having a sharpened edge which conforms with the section of the grade being formed.

This main frame is preferably of rectangular formation having a width suflicient to span the roadway to be graded and comprises side channel bars 1 which are connected at their opposite-ends to a forward channel bar 2 and a rear channel bar 3. Extending parallel with the-bars 2 and 3 and connected to the side bars 1 are the spaced and parallelly arranged T-beams 4 and 5 re-' spectively. The side bars 1 have suitably secured thereto bearings. 6' in which are ournaled axles 7 These axles 7 extend throughout the entire width of the machine and secured to their opposite ends are the flanged traction wheels 8 which latter are adapted to travel upon the forms or trackways 9. Theseforms 9 are laid down in advance of the introduction of the machine 'over the road bed to be graded and serve as a gauge A for the cutters and scrapers carried by the verse beams 2, 3, 4 and 5 are apair of longitudinally extending channel bars 10 and also connected to the bars 4 and 5 is an I-beam 11. Mounted upon one of the channel bars 10 and the I-beam 11 is a support or bed plate 12 having a suitable prime mover such as a gasoline engine mounted thereupon indicated by the numeral 13.

Also mounted upon this engine bed plate 12 is a suitable transmission gear housing 14 and the gearing within the housing 14 is controllable by means of a lever 15 whereby the driven shaft 16 may have severalspeeds forward or may be caused to move in a reverse or opposite direction. Also, suitably journaled' upon the main frame is a longitudinally extending shaft 17 which is operatively connected by the gearing within the housing 18 to the driven shaft 16. This shaft 17 is connected to the rear axle 7 by any well known and conventional form of gearing arranged within the housing 18. From this construction it is obvious that the operator by changing the gears within the transmission 14 may cause power to be supplied to the driving axle 7 from the motor 13 whereby the machine may be propelled over the forms in various speeds in a forward direction or the machine may be caused to travel in a reverse direction.

The forward ends of the side beams 1 have suspended therefrom the bearing brackets 19 in which are journaled a shaft 20 and detachably connectedto this shaft 20 are a plurality of shovels or pick bars 21 which latter are adapted to engage the soil toloosen'and dig up the. same. These pick bars 21 each comprise a blade having a semi-circular hub portion 22 which latter terminates in a lug 23. The shaft 20 is provided with four longitudinally extending ke -ways as is better illustrated in Fi re 3 o the drawing and the lugs 23 of the pici bars are adapted to engage these key-ways so that'the hub portions of the pick bars will extend aroundthe shaft. A suitable fastening element such as the bolt 24 as is shown in Figure 3 of the drawing may extend through the hub ortion of each pick bar and engage the shaft or locking these pick bars to the shaft 20. From this construction it will be ap arent that the pick bars are readily detacha le from the shaft 20 and should they become worn or broken a new pick bar may be readily substituted therefor. As shown in Figure 1 the pick bars of the scarifier extend approximately the entire width of the roadbed to be graded so that all loose soil contfifllltld upon the roadbed may be readily scari- Secured to and suspended from the side beams 1 of the main frame are bearing brackets 25 which have journaled therein a shaft 26, the latter being preferably squared in cross section. Secured to this shaft 26 are a plurality of scraper blades 27. These scraper blades 27 are preferably eight in number and have a spiral formation so that they will correspond to the crown of the roadway being formed. The adjacent ends of these blades 27 overlap so that these blades will completely span the entire road bed to be scraped or planed." The shaft 20 of the scarifier as well as the shaft 26 of the scrapers revolve in the same direction which is a direction opposite to that of the axles 7 whereby the pick bars and scraper blades will revolve in the direction opposite to the direction of travel of the machine thereby preventing any climbing movement or side to side movement of the machine during its grading operation.

Power is transmitted to the shafts 20 and 26' by means of a power plant 13 through the gearing now to be described.

The driven shaft 16 extends to one side of the machine as is illustrated in Figure 1 and has keyed thereto a sprocket wheel 28 over which travels a sprocket chain 29. J ournaled within suitable bearings carried by one of the side bars 1 are the stub shafts 3'0 and 31 each of which carries a sprocket wheel 32 over which travels the sprocket chain 29. The stub shaft 30 has another sprocket wheel keyed thereto over which travels a sprocket chain 33 and this sprocket chain 33 extends over a sprocket wheel 34 carried by the shaft 20 of the scarifier. The stub shaft 31 has also a second sprocket wheel keyed thereto over which travels a sprocket chain 35 and this latter sprocket chain 35 extends over the sprocket wheel 36 carried by the shaft 26 of the scrapers. As the driven shaft 16 is set in motion, power will be'transmitted to the gearing as heretofore described whereby the shafts 20 and 26 will be caused to revolve in the same direction.

The conveyor which is for carrying the excessive earth to the outer side of the machine extends transversely of and is swung under the main frame just in front of the rotary scraper or planer. This conveyor comprises a pan or trough 37 which is suspended by means of the bracket 38 and is separated into two compartments by a bar 39. Arranged within these compartments of the pan 37 is a pair of oppositely driven drag chains 39 extending beyond the o posite sides of the main frame so that any dirt deposited within this pan 37 will be carried and distributed to the opposite sides of the main frame ,or the roadway upon which the road bed is being formed The excessive earth will be gathered up by the blades or the revolving scraper and elevated within thetrough 37 whereby the drag chain will carry this dirt to the sides of the roadway. Secured to the side .bars 1 of the mainframe and projecting therefrom are laterally extending brackets- 40, one of which has journaled therein shafts 41 and 42. These shafts 41 and '42 have sprocket wheels keyed thereto over which 7 travel the drag chains 39, and these drag chains alsopass over sprocket wheels carried by a single shaft journalled, in the other of said brackets. These shafts 41 and 42 are connected by the sprocket gearing 43 whereby the shafts 41 and 42 will be caused to revolve in opposite directions and likewise the drag chains caused to move in opposite directions. One of the shafts 41 has a sproket wheel 44 attached thereto over which travels a sproket chain 45 and the latter also extends over a sprocket Wheel 46 carried by a shaft mounted in suitable bearings upon one 2 of the side beamsl. This last mentioned shaft has also another sprocket wheel 47 keyed thereto over which travels a sprocket chain 48 and this chain 48 also extendsover the sprocket chain 49 carried by a shaft 17. Through this gearing it is apparent that the power for causing the drag chain to move in opposite directions may be transmitted from the power plant 13.

Carried by the rear bar 3 of the main frame are a pluralityof brackets 49 which have suitably connected thereto a strike olf template 50. This plate 50 is preferably made from angle iron and adapted to span the entire Width of the roadway. The template bit or cutting edge thereof is sharpened and shaped to conform with the crown of the grade to be cut. In order to lift the entire machine from the forms 9 or shift the machine laterally of the roadway to be graded elevating wheels 51 are provided, one of which is arranged at each end of the machine. Each Wheel 51 is carried by a shaft 52 which latter is screw threaded and journalled in suitable bearings 53 carried by and secured to the opposite ends of the bars 10. ,These shafts 52 are provided'with hand wheels 54 whereby upon rotation of the hand wheels the elevatingwheel may be raised or lowered as conditions may require in order to elevate the machine for removal from the forms or low er the machine so that it may be promptly seated-upon the forms.

A. roadway or street to be graded with the said machine must have the forms 9 placed along the same and in advance to the use of the machine.

In order to use this grading machine it is first necessary to raise the elevating wheels 51 so that the machine may be positioned upon the roadway whereby the wheels 8 may rest upon the form 9. After the machine is resting upon the forms or tracks 9 the operator, by controlling the lever 15, may cause the machine to move in an opposite direction as well as cause the scarifier and scraping blade to be revolved. As the machine passes over the roadway to be graded contact with this. pulverized earth the same will be planed or scraped and form the usual crown to' the roadbed as well as elevate all surplus earth to the conveyor pan 37. Secured to the rear side of the conveyor pan 37' is an apron 37 which latter maybe of the Width as shown in the drawings and particularly Figure ,3 thereof, or it may be of a greater Width, as preference or conditions may dictate, for the purpose .of catching and permitting the loose dirt deposited thereon by the centrifugal action of the planer to be forced upward thereupon into the conveyor pan 37. The earth accumulating in this conveyor pan will be conveyed and distributed to the opposite sides of the roadway by means of the drag chains arranged therein. As the machine continues its forward movement over the'ground the plate550 will pass over the loose earth which has just been planed by means of a revolving scraper blades 27 thereby forming a roadbed of the proper and desired contour. From the foregoing it is obvious that the machine may be propelled over the ground and a continuous grading operation may be efiected without the necessity -of giving individual attention to any of the Working parts of the machine in order to form a road bed.

I claim:

1. An excavating machine comprising in combination, a motor propelled frame, a revolving scarifier carried by said frame, a rotary planer supported by said frame, a conveyor arranged between said scarifier and planer and means for connecting said scarifier and planer with the motor for propelling said frame whereby said scarifier and planer will revolve in the same direction and in a direction opposite to the path of travel of said frame so as to prevent climbing movement or side to side movement of the machine during its grading operation.

2. An excavating machine comprising a wheeled frame, a motor mounted upon said frame for drivingsaid wheels of the frame, a pair of driven shafts carried by said frame, means for operatively connecting said shafts whereby they will revolve in the same direction, a plurality of pick bars carried by one of said shafts, a plurality of scraper blades carried by the other of said shafts, a conveyor supported by said frame between said shafts and operatively connected to said motor and means operatively connecting said shafts with said motor whereby they will revolve in a direction opposite to the direction of travel of the wheels of the said frame so as to prevent climbing movement or side to slde movement of the machine during its grading operation. v

3. A road scraper comprising a wheeled frame, a scarifier carried by said frame, a rotary planer carried by said frame, a conveyor carried by said frame in advance of said rotary planer, a motor mounted upon said frame and means operatively connecting said rotary planer, conveyor and scarifier to said motor whereby they will be jointly operated.

4. A road scraper comprising a main frame, a pair of parallel shafts journaled upon and suspended from said frame, a plurality of pick bars carried by one of said shafts, a plurality of spirally arranged and overlapping blades carried by the other of said shafts, a conveyor suspended from said frame and arranged between said shafts, and a strike-off template suspended from said frame and extending throughout its entire Width.

5. A sub-grader of the character described comprising a wheel frame, a shaft journaled within the forward end of said frame, a plurality of pick bars carried by said shaft, a second shaftjournaled upon said frame and extending parallel with the first mentioned shaft, a plurality of staggered and spirally arranged blades carried by the second mentioned shaft, a conveyor suspended from said frame and extending beyond the opposite side thereof, and means for operatively connecting said conveyor with said shaft where by they may bejointly operated.

6. A sub-grader of the character described comprising a main frame, a rotary scarifier attached to the forward end of said frame and extending completely across the same, a rotary planer carried by said frame and extending parallel with said scarifier, a conveyor carried by said frame and arranged between said rotary planer and scarifier, the opposite ends of said conveyor projecting beyond the opposite sides of said frame, and said conveyor comprising a pair of drag chains adapted to travel in opposite directions.

7 A road grader of thecharacterdescribed comprising a wheeled frame, a shaft journaled within said frame, a plurality of pick bars detachably connected to said shaft, a squared shaft journaled within said frame, a plurality of scraper blades connected to said squared shaft, a conveyor arranged in front of said scraper blades adapted to collect e'a'rth elevated by said blades, and means for operating said conveyor whereby the earth collected thereby maybe distributed at the opposite sides of said frame.

8. A road scraper of the character described comprising a rectangular frame, a rotary scarifier mounted upon said frame adjacent the forward end thereof, a rotary planer mounted upon said frame, adjacent the rearward end thereof, a plurality of brackets suspended from said frame, a pan carried by said bracket and arranged in front of said rotary planer whereby the earth elevated by said planer will be distributed, upon said pan, brackets extending from the opposite sides of said frame, shafts journaled within the brackets arranged upon the opposite sides of the frame, drag chains connected to and extending over said shafts, and said drag chains adapted to travel in opposite directions upon said pan whereby the dirt accumulating within said pan will be distributed at the opposite sides of said frame.

9. A road scraper of the character described comprising a main frame consisting of a plurality of angle iron bars, bearings suspended from said frame, axles journaled within said bearings, flanged wheels carried by said axles, a rotary scarifier carried by said frame, a rotary planer arranged upon said frame, a conveyor carried by said frame and arranged between said rotary planer and scarifier, a motor mounted upon the said frame, means for operatively connecting said motor with one of said axles and means for operatively connecting said motor with said rotary scarifier, planer and conveyor.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CARLTON C. JOHNSTON. 

